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2 ballistic missile defense-equipped ships moving to Yokosuka

The guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold is seen at sea in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility in August 2012. Shawn Truesdale/U.S. Navy

2 ballistic missile defense-equipped ships moving to Yokosuka

by: Erik Slavin | .

Stars and Stripes | .

published: October 17, 2014

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — Two additional ships with ballistic missile defense capabilities will relocate to Yokosuka during the next three years, a move aimed at placing the Navy’s best ships in the Asia-Pacific region.

The destroyers USS Benfold and USS Milius will leave San Diego and report to Yokosuka in the summers of 2015 and 2017, respectively.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said in April that two more ships would homeport in Japan by 2017, though the specific ships hadn’t been announced until today.

Meanwhile, the guided-missile destroyer USS Barry, currently homeported at Norfolk, Va., will replace USS Lassen at Yokosuka in early 2016. Lassen will make its new home in Mayport, Fla., Navy officials said Friday.